Mental Health Professional Providing Services in Family Court Matters

Disclaimer

Individuals on this list may provide a variety of services such as custody evaluations, assessments, or counseling for families and children in separating/divorcing families. An individual’s inclusion on this list is not a recommendation or endorsement by the Santa Clara County Superior Court, the Forensic Committee, or by SCCPA. The Superior Court, the Forensic Committee, and SCCPA accept no responsibility for the training, education, or competence of individuals listed and assume no responsibility or liability for any damages arising directly or indirectly from services provide by any mental health professional on the list. Litigants and attorneys are solely responsible for interviewing individuals on this list regarding their qualifications.

This list of mental health professionals have self-reported to the Santa Clara County Psychological Association’s (SCCPA) Forensic Committee completion of mandatory domestic violence training required as a condition for appointment by Santa Clara County Superior (Family) Court. Please note that there may be other mandatory training and experience necessary before court appointment can be made, depending upon the requested service. No actual confirmation of training by individuals on this list is conducted by the Forensic Committee. The Forensic Committee maintains this list for information purposes only. The Family Court is not involved in the compilation of this list.

If you are a mental health provider and interested in being added to this list, please contact SCCPA, at Forensics@SCCPA.org

Family and divorce mediation ("family mediation" or "mediation") is a process in which a mediator, an impartial third party, facilitates the resolution of family disputes by promoting the participants’ voluntary agreement.

Therapy/Adult: Therapy with Adult(s)

This may include one or more adults and may also include other collaterals. Court-Involved Therapists (CIT’s) are mental health professionals who provide therapeutic services to family members involved in child custody or juvenile dependency Court processes. Any mental health professional providing psychotherapeutic treatment of a parent, child, couple, or family who is, at any time during the treatment, involved with the legal system. Guidelines for Court-Involved Therapy were published by the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) in 2010.

Therapy/Child: Therapy with a Child or Sibling Groups

This may also include sessions with a parent(s) and/or other or other family members. Court-Involved Therapists (CIT’s) are mental health professionals who provide therapeutic services to family members involved in child custody or juvenile dependency Court processes. The term Court-Involved Therapists (CIT) applies to any mental health professional providing psychotherapeutic treatment of a parent, child, couple or family who is, at any time during the treatment, involved with the legal system. Guidelines for Court-Involved Therapy were published by the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) in 2010.

Therapy/Family: Therapy with Multiple Family Members

This type of therapy may include family sessions, conjoint sessions with various combinations of family members, and individual sessions. Court-Involved Therapists (CIT’s) are mental health professionals who provide therapeutic services to family members involved in child custody or juvenile dependency Court processes. Any mental health professional providing psychotherapeutic treatment of a parent, child, couple or family who is, at any time during the treatment, involved with the legal system. Guidelines for Court-Involved Therapy were published by the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) in 2010.

Co-parent Counseling:

Co-parent Counseling is deemed as confidential unless there is a Court Order or stipulation to the contrary. Co-parenting counseling is used as one type of referral designed to support parents in the articulation and development of their new relationship as co-parents. It is goal oriented and the content of discussion is driven by the articulated needs of the parties. Guidelines for Court-Involved Therapy were published by the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) in 2010.

Reconnection Therapy:

Reconnection therapy, conducted under the guidance of a licensed mental health professional, is a non-confidential therapeutic process whereby the parent who has been separated from and/or rejected by their child(ren), is “reconnected” with their child(ren), to the fullest extent possible. This process would apply to families in which there has been limited or no contact between parent and child(ren). For the therapeutic process to be effective, both parents need to participate, at the discretion of the therapist. Guidelines for Court-Involved Therapy were published by the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) in 2010.

Therapeutic Supervised Visitation (TSV):

Therapeutic supervised visitation is a non-confidential, short-term intervention between a non-custodial parent and their child(ren) which requires therapeutic assistance. Due to significant disruption of the parent/child(ren) relationship(s) and the consequential need for guidance in “how to” re-establish and operate these relationships more successfully, TSV teaches skill building and may require periodic updates to the Court about the status of the progress. However, these status reports shall not include any recommendations about visitation and custody. Providers must meet the requirements of Rule of Court 5.230.

Brief Focused Assessment (BFA):

The Brief Focused Assessment (BFA) is a Court Ordered Assessment of narrowly defined, issue-specific questions which arise in Family Court settings. A BFA best addresses questions which are well defined, narrow in scope, and require some clinical judgment; e.g. To what extent is a child’s expression of preference based on developmentally appropriate reasoning? Is supervised visitation needed to protect the child’s safety or well-being while with a parent, in light of some aspect of the parent-child relationship? Whether and under what conditions to reunite a long-absent parent with a child? Providers must meet the requirements of Rule of Court 5.230 regarding domestic violence training. Provider must meet the requirements for completion of FL-326, Declaration of Court-Connected Child Custody Evaluator Regarding Qualifications.

FF: Flat Fee

RF: Reduced Fee

SF: Standard Fee

The Judge decides whether or not the parties qualify for a reduced fee (RF) or a flat fee (FF). Qualification is not determined by the provider. The flat fee (FF) is $250 per family. The reduced fee (RF) is set by the provider and is a fixed percentage of the provider's standard fee. The standard fee (SF) is set by the provider and is the provider's standard fee for these matters. All fees are clearly stated in the provider's Consent and Agreement for BFA.

Comprehensive Custody Evaluation (CCE):

A Comprehensive Custody Evaluation (also known as a Section 730 Evaluation) is a comprehensive forensic investigation ordered by the court, whereby the investigator/mental health professional assists parents and the court in determining a parenting or child sharing plan which is in the children's best interests. Providers must meet the requirements of Rule of Court 5.230 regarding domestic violence training. Provider must meet the requirements for completion of FL-326, Declaration of Court-Connected Child Custody Evaluator Regarding Qualifications.

Parenting Coordination:

Parenting coordination is a voluntary, non-confidential, non-adversarial dispute resolution process utilized by divorced and/or separated parents who have demonstrated an ongoing pattern of high conflict and/or litigation about their children. Providers must meet the requirements of Rule of Court 5.230 regarding domestic violence training. Providers must also be compliant with training standards established by AFCC (2005 Association of Family and Conciliation Courts), with specific advanced training in: (1) the Parenting Coordination Process, (2) Family Dynamics in Separation and Divorce, (3) Parenting Coordination Techniques and Issues and (4) Court Specific Parenting Coordination Procedures.